K-9 officers arrive with their drug dogs outside the Pottsgrove HS District office.
Photo by Kevin Hoffman, The Mercury

LOWER POTTSGROVE — Local K-9 units from area police departments preformed a surprise drug sweep Thursday morning at the Pottsgrove High School.

Lower Pottsgrove Police and school officials describe the sweep as a “proactive measure to raise awareness within the high school and the community.”

While waiting outside the school, some of the dogs were sitting next to their officers, barking loudly or pacing while others lay quietly.

The high school was put on administrative lockdown while the five K-9 teams searched the hallways. During the lockdown, students were kept inside their first-period classrooms.

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When the lockdown was lifted around 9:30 a.m., Lower Pottsgrove Police Chief Mike Foltz said he believed it was a clean sweep.

Foltz stayed outside the school while the search was conducted and said his department would handle arrests stemming from the search, if that was necessary.

Pottsgrove High School Principal William Ziegler said in a statement, “the search is no indicative of a high school drug problem but is instead just one piece of a school safety plan and commitment to helping students remain drug free.”

“This is the beginning of a set of routine and regular checks,” Ziegler said. “The safety and security of our students and staff is our top priority.”

According to the statement, parents were notified shortly after the search was completed. Parents and students were not told about the search before it happened.

Students who arrived late to school were sent to the administrative building to wait out the search. One student had to be escorted from her classroom after her father came to get her for an orthodontist appointment.

“This search is standard operating procedure at man schools around the region,” said Will James, a Lower Pottsgrove Police officer. “We feel this is one of many ways to help keep school drug-free.”

The high school has a Student Needs Assistance Program that uses a peer-to-peer education system to help students stay drug-free. The program, according to the press release, teaches students the negative effects of drugs and the dangers of experimentation.

About the Author

Caroline Sweeney formerly worked as the police reporter for the Pottstown Mercury. She is no longer on staff. If you wish to contact anyone at The Mercury about her stories, please call our main number at 610-323-3000 and ask for the editorial department. Reach the author at csweeney@pottsmerc.com
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